In the week ending Jan. 29, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 415,000, a decrease of 42,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 457,000. The 4-week moving average was 430,500, an increase of 1,000 from the previous week's revised average of 429,500.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.1 percent for the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 3.2 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending Jan. 22 was 3,925,000, a decrease of 84,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 4,009,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,929,500, a decrease of 50,500 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,980,000.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 459,683 in the week ending Jan. 29, a decrease of 26,633 from the previous week. There were 533,320 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.7 percent during the week ending Jan. 22, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 4,619,319, an increase of 5,274 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 4.4 percent and the volume was 5,683,683.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending Jan. 15 was 9,298,859.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,831 in the week ending Jan. 22, a decrease of 1,011 from the prior week. There were 2,444 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 246 from the preceding week.

There were 49,119 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 1,590 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 40,422, a decrease of 2,254 from the prior week.

States reported 3,653,080 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending Jan. 15, a decrease of 130,413 from the prior week. There were 5,629,285 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending Jan. 22 were in Georgia (+10,335), North Carolina (+6,048), South Carolina (+3,299), Alabama (+1,609), and Puerto Rico (+1,300), while the largest decreases were in California (-13,775), Pennsylvania (-7,897), New York (-5,613), Indiana
(-5,396), and Florida (-4,712).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 29

Jan. 22

Change

Jan. 15

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

415,000

457,000

-42,000

403,000

490,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

459,683

486,316

-26,633

549,890

533,320

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

430,500

429,500

+1,000

413,000

481,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Jan. 22

Jan. 15

Change

Jan. 8

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,925,000

4,009,000

-84,000

3,897,000

4,866,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

4,619,319

4,614,045

+5,274

4,652,435

5,683,683

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,929,500

3,980,000

-50,500

4,015,250

4,865,250

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

3.1%

3.2%

-0.1

3.1%

3.7%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

3.7%

3.7%

0.0

3.7%

4.4%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 22

Jan. 15

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,831

3,842

-1,011

1,486

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,444

2,690

-246

1,878

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Jan. 15

Jan. 8

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

4,601,522

4,639,683

-38,161

5,580,562

Federal Employees (UCFE)

49,119

50,709

-1,590

26,197

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

40,422

42,676

-2,254

35,805

EUC 20083

3,653,080

3,783,493

-130,413

5,629,285

Extended Benefits4

898,381

835,539

+62,842

224,900

State Additional Benefits 5

6,885

6,644

+241

1,661

STC / Workshare 6

49,450

52,233

-2,783

89,114

TOTAL

9,298,859

9,410,977

-112,118

11,587,524

FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data, NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 125,560,066 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 01/22/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

-13,775

A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

PA

-7,897

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, and service industries.

NY

-5,613

Fewer layoffs in the service and transportation industries.

IN

-5,396

Fewer layoffs in the trade industry.

FL

-4,712

Fewer layoffs in the construction, trade, service, and manufacturing industries, and agriculture.

TX

-4,324

A shorter workweek, as well as fewer layoffs in the trade, service, and manufacturing industries.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577. News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/